


two mortal gods among men

by pallorsomnium



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Future Fic, M/M, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-27
Updated: 2011-02-27
Packaged: 2017-10-21 10:57:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/224430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pallorsomnium/pseuds/pallorsomnium
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"They both know what will come tomorrow on the battlefield, and have known for years."</p>
            </blockquote>





	two mortal gods among men

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Better than Sex](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/3822) by mediumsizedevil. 
  * Inspired by [I Go With Him](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/3823) by mediumsizedevil. 



> Originally posted on Livejournal [here](http://pallorsomnium.livejournal.com/6532.html).  
> Beta'd by [saying_sooth](http://saying-sooth.livejournal.com), my wonderful BFF who doesn't even watch Merlin but took the time anyways to give me advice and feedback <3 And an acknowledgment to [a_systole](http://a-systole.livejournal.com), my other BFF, who was the first person to read this. :)  
> 

They fall soundlessly to the pallet by their feet. Dry lips press together, and quickening breaths ghost over cheek and stubble. Clothes slip off sweat-glistening bodies with a flash of gold eyes, and long limbs tangle. Candles stretch their languid, writhing shadows against the canvas of the tent.

They don’t do this often. Yes, for years, they have always shared a bed, but rarely do they feel the need to express their love with sex—even if everyone else has thought it so for years, decades even. In truth, they never really want to have sex together, not the way others might expect.  
Because this carnal expression pales in contrast to poisoned chalices and brash rescues, to exchanged looks and a warm hand on the shoulder. Because sex is filthy, an almost too filthy act to sully each other with.

For Merlin, Arthur is golden and brilliant, more so than the very sun. Arthur exudes honour, goodness and justice. His magic, his own kin, mean nothing to him without Arthur. Arthur is his King, his God, his Everything.

For Arthur, Merlin is pale and ethereal, as slight as a moonbeam but with the quiet strength and serenity of the moon. Merlin is his pillar of strength, wisdom and love. Merlin is Albion, the earth and the sky and everything in between.

So how could they possibly wish to taint the other in corporeal pleasures?

But they are only human, and sometimes they need that extra touch, that extra sense of unity. Though the number of times they have needed it could almost be counted with one hand. And it seems only natural that those times could be tallied by betrayal or death: Arthur’s discovery of Merlin’s magic, Morgana’s deception and Uther’s death, Guinevere and Lancelot’s infidelity, Hunith’s fatal illness and Gaius’s quiet passing.

Tonight it is just the same. Because their joining tonight would be another marked by death. They both know what will come tomorrow on the battlefield, and have known for years. Tomorrow, everything will come to an end.

So touching each other at this time, just as at the previous times, feels natural, perfect and right. They touch each other not out of desire, never desire, but out of necessity and comfort and reverence. They worship the feel of their skin pressed close together, the hot breaths and gasps they share, the illusion of physical oneness straining to match the oneness of their souls. They move together, backs arching and hips thrusting in a slow, familiar rhythm. Fingers, smoothing over skin and slipping through locks of hair, spark and tingle with the magic so close beneath Merlin’s skin and seeping into Arthur.

Once, Merlin bites Arthur’s bottom lip too harshly. Arthur sucks in a breath and Merlin eases the sting with his tongue, tasting the sharp tang of metal. He murmurs apologies after apologies, but Arthur smothers them with his mouth, setting them back to the easy push and pull, give and take, of before. Of always.

And Merlin always follows Arthur, so it is only after Arthur slips over the edge that he does so as well, their hands gripping skin and muscle and pulling fistfuls of hair. And they cling to each other afterwards, chest to chest, hearts slowing and beating as one. With a blink of gold eyes, the candles go out with a sigh. 

Tomorrow, destiny and Mordred wait for them on blood-soaked fields. But tonight, they sleep like they always do, curled up around each other, protecting each other even in sleep.


End file.
